FWC’s Hunting Hot Sheet
FWC’s Hunting Hot Sheet
The latest hunting and conservation news from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
6 Ways to Prep for Deer Season
Many of you are planning for upcoming archery and crossbow seasons (Zone A’s archery and crossbow seasons open July 30). Hanging tree stands and tuning bows are important parts of preseason prep. However, there several other important ways to ready yourself.
Take an inventory of your hunting gear, clothes and boots. Repair or replace as needed
Sharpen your hunting knives
Mark season openers on your calendar http://myfwc.com/hunting/season-dates
Review the 2016-2017 Florida Hunting Regulations http://myfwc.com/hunting/regulations/ or regulations for the WMA you plan to hunt http://myfwc.com/hunting/wma-brochures/
If you’re introducing someone to hunting, make sure they take a hunter safety course http://myfwc.com/hunting/safety-education/courses/
Buy your hunting license, deer permit and WMA permit (if you’re planning to hunt WMAs) http://www.GoOutdoorsFlorida.com
Become a Member of the Dove Club
Experience dove hunting on the state’s best public dove fields and share that tradition with a young person through the Special-Opportunity Dove Club Program. Dove Club permits are issued by random drawing and enable you to hunt all scheduled dates for the dove field of your choice. Plus, the permit allows you to take one youth (age 15 or younger), and the adult and youth may each take their own bag limit. That application period for Dove Club permits began July 18 and runs through July 28.
Learn more about this opportunity here http://myfwc.com/news/news-releases/2016/july/06/dove-club/
2016 Statewide Alligator Harvest Training and Orientation Schedule
If you’ve received an opportunity to participate in Florida’s alligator harvest program, don’t miss FWC’s FREE training. While it’s not mandatory, it’s a great way for hunters to get up to speed on rules and regulations, equipment, and information about processing. No need to register, just show up at one of the classes listed here: http://www.myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/alligator/harvest/training-classes/
2016-2017 Hunting Regulations Now Include Migratory Bird Hunting Season Information
The 2016-2017 Florida Hunting Regulations are now available, and for the first time, they include season information for waterfowl, doves and other migratory birds. Thanks to a change in the process the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses for setting migratory bird hunting seasons, federal frameworks are finalized no later than April. What that means is migratory bird hunters can make their plans now by picking up a copy of the new hunting regs at license vendors across the state or check them out here http://www.myfwc.com/hunting/regulations/birds/
Don’t Forget Your Migratory Bird Permit
If you plan to hunt migratory game birds this season, make sure to get a migratory bird permit. This free federal permit is required to take migratory birds. When you sign up for the permit, you will be asked about your migratory bird hunting experiences during last year’s season. The answers you provide are used to identify what types of migratory birds you usually hunt. This allows the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to mail follow-up surveys to the appropriate hunters to generate estimates of hunting activity and the number of migratory game birds harvested. This information is used by biologists to make sound decisions concerning hunting seasons, bag limits, and population management. For more information, see http://myfwc.com/license/recreational/hunting/federal-duck-stamp/
Show Your Hunting Pride on Your Ride
Uphold Florida’s hunting traditions by buying the only DMV plate that helps fund public hunting, wildlife habitat improvements, and efforts to promote conservation. Since launching last May, the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida has sold more than 9,000 plates and funded over $188,000 in hunting grants!
Help make sure that hunting always has a future in Florida by ordering your deer tag today. Visit http://www.floridadeertag.com/ or your local tax collector’s office.
Federal Duck Stamp on Sale Now
Sales for the 2016-2017 Federal Duck Stamp began June 24. This year’s Federal stamp features trumpeter swans and is the work of Joe Hautman.
A stamp purchase is required annually for all waterfowl hunters 16 and older, and grants the bearer free entrance into national wildlife refuges. The new stamps can be purchased through the FWC’s Licensing System, the United States Postal Service, and anywhere hunting and fishing licenses are sold. Visit http://www.GoOutdoorsFlorida.com to get yours.
Since 1934, the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp has provided more than $850 million, conserving over 5.7 million acres of crucial habitat throughout the United States and its territories.
For more info, visit http://flyways.us/content/2016-17-federal-and-junior-duck-stamps-now-sale
Are You in Turkey Country?
You can get that answer by checking out FWC’s new interactive map of predicted wild turkey occupancy across the state. Biologists have provided data about wild turkey distribution in Florida using a web-based mapping application. The resulting dataset, which is updated every 10 years, has just been made available as an online interactive map. Not only will it give you a large scale view of where turkeys are in Florida, it’s valuable information for FWC. Biologists use this information, along with habitat suitability data, to identify and direct future wild turkey management efforts.
See the Florida wild turkey distribution map here: http://www.myfwc.com/hunting/by-species/turkey/distribution/